The Celina boys swimming team picked a very good moment to outpoint rival Shawnee.

The WaterDogs captured the Western Buckeye League boys swimming title at the league meet in Lima on Saturday as Celina out-scored the Indians 272-235 for the title. The St. Marys boys placed sixth with 114 points.

Meanwhile, the Celina girls were able close the Shawnee gap of over 100 points when the teams met at the Lima Holiday Invitational. This time around, Celina, which scored 288 points, finished 341/2 points behind the Indians' total of 3221/2. St. Marys placed fifth with 118 points.

The Celina boys did damage all over. The Bulldogs won two of the three relays before taking a 1-2-3 sweep in the diving.

A trio of WaterDogs captured two titles. Jay McKirnan won the Individual Medley and the 100-yard breaststroke for Celina, Dan Hierholzer took the 50 freestyle and followed with the 100 backstroke, while Eric Adams added wins in the 100 butterfly and 100 freestyle.

The dive squad certainly did their part in the Celina win. Eddie Craft captured another WBL title with teammates Todd Hertel and Luke Bonvillian taking second and third.

For the ladies, the WaterDogs captured both freestyle relays in preparation for another trip to state. Paige Mertz continued a solid season by taking the 200 freestyle with teammate Kirsten Samples taking the 100 freestyle.

The lone St. Marys win came from veteran state qualifier Jasmine Craft, who took the 50 freestyle for a second straight year.

Celina and St. Marys head north to Ayersville next weekend for sectional swimming action.
Tigers, Cards claim MAC supremacy

The Versailles girls and New Bremen boys captured team titles at the Coldwater Invitational for Midwest Athletic Conference swim teams on Saturday at the Celina YMCA.

Versailles, in its first season of swimming, edged perennial power Coldwater, 138-120, for the girls' first place as New Bremen was third with 75 points.

New Bremen had a bigger cushion against the AquaCavs in the boys race, beating Coldwater, 157-110, with Minster third at 101 points.

The Tiger ladies won two of the three relays and got big swims from Lauren Subler and Shelby Bey, who each won two events. Bey won the 100 backstroke and 500 freestyle while Subler took the 100 butterfly and 100 backstroke.

Coldwater senior Gina Harting wrapped up her regular season career at her home pool with two wins, earning the Queen of Freestyle title with wins in the 50 and 100 freestyle.

On the boys side, the relays were split between Coldwater, New Bremen and Minster. Cardinal Lucas Larger was the King of Freestyle, winning the 50 and 100 free.

St. Henry's Scott Weitzel also picked up two wins, taking the Individual Medley and the 100 breaststroke.

All the area teams except Versailles head to Lima next week for their sectional races. Versailles will head to Wittenberg University next weekend for its sectional.

Winners from the 2007 Coldwater/MAC Swim Invitational held Saturday at the Celina YMCA.